Sculpture by Brevard College Associate Professor of Art Kyle Lusk as part of the Stringer’s Ridge Trailhead Markers Public Art Project in Chattanooga, Tenn.

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Lusk was commissioned to create the sculptures to mark four new mountain biking trails in the newly opened Stringer’s Ridge Park, a forested area amid the urban heart of North Chattanooga. He was selected for the project from among 75 artists across the country by a group of Public Art Committee members, representatives from the Trust for Public Land and others involved in the development of the park.

A Brevard native, Lusk created the works in Brevard and took them to Chattanooga for installation. Each trailhead features a sculptural kiosk holding the trail map and a 12-foot-high spire that serves as a marker for that specific trail. The sculptures were created of weathering steel, and each spire represents the path of the trail that it marks as well as its orientation on the map.

“I have always been inspired by the mountains here in Brevard where I grew up, and I love mountain biking and hiking, so creating the sculptures for the mountain bike trails in Chattanooga was a great fit for me,” Lusk said.

“I also really loved the opportunity to create such a large connected body of work like this that engages the viewers in their recreation and is such a part of the landscape and its use.”

Lusk has taught and created sculpture at Brevard College since 2005. He first studied art at Brevard College, earning an associate of fine arts degree in 1992. He continued his undergraduate studies at East Carolina University and earned a master’s degree in fine arts from ECU in 1998.

Since completion of his graduate work, Lusk has created and exhibited sculptural work in cities throughout the Southeast and has many works in public and private collections.

Visit www.brevard.edu for more information.

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